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Typical caller left hanging by HMRC for two-and-a-half mins

25 February 2013
Issue: 4392 / Categories: News , Admin

The average waiting time for taxpayers calling the Revenue in January was almost two-and-a-half minutes, according to the Exchequer secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke.

The MP told the Commons that two minutes and 23 seconds was the typical duration in which a caller had to hang on the line before speaking to an adviser, having selected an option from the interactive voice recognition (IVR) message menu. It did not include the time spent listening to the automated messages.

The average waiting time for taxpayers calling the Revenue in January was almost two-and-a-half minutes, according to the Exchequer secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke.

The MP told the Commons that two minutes and 23 seconds was the typical duration in which a caller had to hang on the line before speaking to an adviser, having selected an option from the interactive voice recognition (IVR) message menu. It did not include the time spent listening to the automated messages.

“HMRC are planning to introduce a target of answering 80% of calls within five minutes from April 2013. This will include the time spent by customers [sic] waiting to talk to an adviser and the time spent listening to IVR messages,” said Gauke.

Issue: 4392 / Categories: News , Admin
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